Marble-racket



(No Model.)

H. T. PAGE. MARBLE RAGKET.

No. 591,876." Patented Oct. 19, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY T. PAGE, OF CENTRALIA, ILLINOIS.

MARBLE-RACKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Batent No. 591,876,6iated October 19, 1897. Application filed November 30, 1896- Serial No. 613,948. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY T. PACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centralia, in the county of Marion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to that class of toys depending for'their operation upon the centrifugal force of a gyrating body; and it has for its object to provide means whereby a sphc re may be caused to travel rapidly around? the inner side of an open ring by the gyrating movement of the ring, thereby producing an engaging sound for babies and requiring of the operator the exercise of a sufiicient degree of skill in keeping the sphere in motion to make the toy entertaining to older children and adults.

\Vith these ends in View my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all'as fully described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved toy, showing the mannor of operating it; and Fig. 2 is-a transverse sectional view thereof on a larger scale.

My improved toy consists of a continuous strip 1, which is preferably in the form of a circle or ring, which is provided on each side with an inwardly-projecting flange 2, thus constituting a gutter or channel for the sup port and guidance of a sphere, ball, or marble 3, arranged loosely thereon, the ring being provided with a handle 4, whereby it may be held in the hand and the required gyrating motion imparted thereto without danger of touching the traveling ball or sphere 3.

The ring 1 may be constructed of any suitable material, but preferably of sheet metal, whereby the ball 3 as it rolls therein will produce an engaging or amusing sound for small children. The flanges 2 do not inclose the sphere or marble 3, but simply project inwardly a sufficient distance to form a guide or way for preventing the marble. from rolling oif sidewise and for holding it in place until it has attained suificient speed to cause its centrifugal force to hold it in contact with the ring throughout the entire circle. Hence the ,moving ball orrmarble 3 is continuously visible during the operation of the device and in its rapid movement appears like another annulus or ring within the real ring 1, thus enabling me by the use of a colored marble or sphere to produce a pleasing effect to the eye of the small child. The ring being open and permitting of the dislodgment of the ball or marble makes it necessary for the.

operator to exercise more or less care and skill to maintain the ball in motion and in place, thus rendering the device entertaining to larger children and adults.

In the operation of the device the ball or marble 3 is placed between the flanges 2 in the ring and a gyrati ng motion then imparted to the ring in the plane in which the ring stands, so as to impart a rolling movement to the ball, which continues around and around the ring as long as the gyrating motion is kept up. After a little practice the ring may be turned or revolved on one of its diameters, using thehandle 4 as an axis while theball or marble 3 is traveling around the inner side of the ring, thus producing a pleasingefiect and at the'same time engaging and entertainthe gyrating movement of the ring may be stopped without permitting the ball or sphere to drop out of the flanges. Amusement with the device may also be afforded by resting the ball upon a table or fiat surface and then gyrating the ringaround it until the centrifugal force carries the ball against the ring, whereupon the entire device may be raised and held in a horizontal plane while the ball is traveling around the inner side of the ring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1'. As a new and useful article of manufacture a ring provided on its inner side with a groove, a sphere resting in said groove, and a handlefor said ring, substantially as set forth. V

2. As a new and useful article of manufac- 8o ing the operator; or after sufficient practice I ture a, ring constructed of sheet metal provided on its inner side with a groove, a man-- bleresting in said groove and a handle secured to said ring, substantially as set forth.

3. As a new and useful article of manufacture a ring provided on its inner side with an open groove and being constructed of sheet metal, a.- mai-ble resting in said g -oove and a handle secured to said ring, substantially as set forth.

e H. T. PACE.

Witnesses:

A. T. TELFORD, W. W. Monnow. 

